New Zealand 38
Australia 31
KEY POINTS:
It was everything the opening test was not - fiery, intense, with thrills and spills aplenty.
The Silver Ferns went some way in appeasing their critics and restoring their own confidence with Saturday night's impressive 38-31 win over Australia.
Though there were some shaky patches for the Ferns, it was the most gritty and determined performance they had produced in quite some time.
From the outset, New Zealand looked faster and more enterprising on attack, while their tough, uncompromising defence was evident throughout the court.
The renewed level of confidence in the Ferns' camp will give the Kiwi side's quest to depose the Australians from the top of the world rankings a much-needed shot in the arm with five tests remaining in their international season - three against England and two more against Australia.
New Zealand coach Ruth Aitken admitted after last week's opening test defeat that her side were struggling to get the "monkey off their back" in the wake of their World Championships loss last year and a poor ANZ Championship for New Zealand teams.
That monkey was well and truly shaken free on Saturday night - much to Aitken's delight.
"I think for us to finish on this positive note is great, and we will head into this English series knowing that when push comes to shove we could really lift, and that is really important in a team."
Aitken credited her side's turnaround to a greater commitment to their gameplan and said they took the court with "real passion and fire".
Silver Ferns skipper Julie Seymour had admitted after the two-goal loss to the rookie Australian line-up last week that her side were under a great deal of pressure to perform.
But she said a lot of that came from within rather than the flak they copped from the media and public.
"You hear everything else and what people are saying, but really the passion within and the pressure you put on yourself personally and as a team in our training sessions is what really drives us," the evergreen midcourter said.
Despite the Ferns' win, the Australians appear in much better shape, looking at their long-term prospects.
By rights, such an inexperienced Diamonds line-up should never have been able to steal a match off the Silver Ferns, while many would argue New Zealand should have won the second test in Auckland by much more.
Saturday night's win was still only New Zealand's third in their past 10 meetings with Australia, and first since their 67-65 overtime victory in July last year.
If they are to once again challenge the Australians' dominance, the Ferns will need to consistently perform at this level.
That means beating a near full-strength Australian side later this year with shooters Natalie Medhurst and Catherine Cox fully fit.
